I read online a few minutes ago that the veteran actor James Garner has passed away at the age of 86. RIP sir, amen Reverend.

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I used to say I live my life a quarter mile at a time and I think that's why we were brothers- because you did, too. No matter where you are, whether it's a quarter mile away or half way across the world. The most important thing in life will always be the people in this room. Salute mi familia. You'll always be with me... And you'll always be my brother.

Name: James Scott BaumgarnerPlace of birth: Norman, Oklahoma, which would make him an Okie, but not from Muskogee.A school drop out to join the Merchant Marine at 16 to see service in WW II.Twice a recipient of a Purple Heart for wounds received during the Korean War.There is a street named for him in his home town of Norman.Married to the same woman for 57 years. They met at a political rally.

One of the few actors to move effortlessly between films and TV, which he did several times, his beginning salary as an actor was $200.00 per week. By the time of "The Rockford Files" in the '70's and '80's, his salary had increased to $100,000 per episode. But that was not as well paying as his work in commercials. As a spokesperson for Mazda, he was paid over $1,000,000 a year + he got his choice of a new Mazda every year.

While a lifelong liberal Democrat, his best friend was Jack Kelly, who played his brother Bart on the TV show "Maverick" and was a staunch conservative Republican. Towards the end of the series, they were joined by their English cousin Beauregarde, played by Roger Moore. (Yes, that Roger Moore.)

I grew up on MAVERICK and THE ROCKFORD FILES, but I guess the last movie I saw him in was THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN.

If "The Distinguished Gentleman" looks somewhat familiar, it may be because it was a reworking of 1939's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," which, by the way, is the far superior of the the two films (IMHO.)

There were many moments when you played background parts in later movies I watched frequently. Not to mention as a young man I was enamored with Mel Gibson's Maverick which I was unaware of James' original portrayal and was very fond of it after having had opportunities here and there to see it.